Maluku migrants arrive in Bandung

BANDUNG: About 143 West Java transmigrant settlers arrived here from riot-torn North Maluku on Thursday night, state railway company PT KAI's spokesman Akhmad Sujadi said.

"We provided them with meals before they headed back to their hometowns," Akhmad said on Friday.

The people came from the neighboring West Java towns of Sukabumi, Garut and from Bandung regency. They settled in a transmigration area in Sukamaju village in Tobelo, North Maluku.

Some of them were in poor health and said they fled their village to escape prolonged violence.

"There is no security guarantee there. How could we profit from staying if it meant losing our lives," Subadri, one of the migrants, said. (25/edt)